Mowden determined to keep squad intact
DARLINGTON Mowden Park are
hopeful of having all their players
except perhaps Ross Batty
back for another crack at promotion
to National Two next season.
After the agony of losing Saturday's
play-off at Cinderford 15-
14 they know that it's time for the
outstanding Batty to move up at
least one level.
They will be looking for a hooker
as Batty has another year on
his Newcastle Falcons contract
and there is every chance that if
he is not required in the Premiership
they will want him to
play for Blaydon or Tynedale.
New Zealander Sean Buckley,
who began the season as firstchoice
hooker only to suffer an
injury, will have to return home
because his visa has run out.
Once Mowden had the gap
down to one point with 20 minutes
left on Saturday they attacked
from everywhere and almost
scored when centre James
Clarke was pulled down inches
short after a 30-yard run.
"We're all gutted," said backs
coach Kevan Oliphant. "The
players worked their backsides
off and we played all the rugby.
"Cinderford were totally forward-
orientated with their
rolling mauls and pick-and-drives.
We made a few mistakes, but
we couldn't have asked for any
more from the players.
"We also appreciate the support
we had. There were about
200 of our fans in a crowd of
1,500."
Mowden went 7-0 up after four
minutes when scrum half Andy
Foreman broke away on the blind
side of a ruck 20 metres out. Noone
laid a hand on him as he narrowed
the angle for fly half Jon
Benson to convert.
Cinderford replied with a
catch-and-drive try then repeated
it following a penalty to the
corner after Mowden prop Dan
Miller was harshly sin-binned
after 34 minutes.
"He was penalised for going in
from the side, but the referee got
the wrong man. He was on the
other side of the maul," said
Oliphant.
It proved costly as while Mowden
were still down to 14 men
Cinderford scored again from a
series of pick-and-drives.
After deciding to avoid lineouts
as much as possible, Mowden
attacked throughout the second
half. Benson took a knock on
the head for the second successive
week and was replaced after
50 minutes by Charlie Rayner,
who made a couple of good
breaks.
Mowden scored midway
through the half when Clarke
broke away from a tackle on
halfway and raced over, with
Rayner adding the conversion.
But the winning score just
wouldn't come.
"We've had a chat and everyone
is committed to staying with
the club and winning National
Three North next season," said
Oliphant.
Durham City also failed to gain
promotion to North One when
they lost their play-off at home to
Stockport 18-13.
While City were not at their
best, they had no complaints
about losing to a side with very
lively backs, led by an excellent
fly half in ex-Rotherham Academy
man Tom Eaton.
He kicked two drop goals,
scored a try and added a conversion
as the North Two West runners-
up stretched away to lead 18-
6 before City scored a converted
try near the end through winger
Chris Metcalfe.
Blaydon ended their National
Two programme with a 27-10 defeat
at home to Westcombe Park,
who brought 70 fans and contributed
to the carnival atmosphere
as a jazz band played for
two hours afterwards.
Blaydon's scrum half crisis
since Hall Charlton was recalled
by Newcastle culminated in
Andy Wright, normally a flanker,
having to play there.
The retirement of Charlie Roe,
who has played in the back row
and at hooker, was announced in
the programme because of an
arthritic knee. But he had to go
on off the bench for the last six
minutes.
The score was 10-10 after 50
minutes, when the visitors sent
on the man generally felt to be
the division's best player, No 8
Tom Hayman. He was not fully fit
but controlled the rest of the
game, which included being driven
over for the next try.
The conversion was followed
by a penalty and Westcombe
Park added another converted
try through a winger with five
minutes left.
Blaydon had taken an early
lead after full back Ralph Smith
made 50 metres from his own 22,
then after a series of mauls No 8
Jason Smithson touched down.
Fly half Richard Windle added a
good conversion and landed a
second half penalty.
Having flown down to Redruth
this season, Blaydon face three
trips to Cornwall next season as
Mounts Bay were promoted from
Three South and Launceston
came down from National One.
Stockton won the Durham Junior
Cup final 35-13 against
Barnard Castle at Hartlepool
Rovers, controlling the game
until they were 35-3 up midway
through the second half, when
they sent all their replacements
on.
Left-winger Paul Murphy
could have had a hat-trick had he
not stepped over the dead-ball
line in attempting to run round
behind the posts. The other
winger, Paul Armstrong, also
scored and the other tries came
from prop Dan Muirhead and
scrum half Owain Jenkins, with
Jeremy Good adding two penalties
and two conversions.
9:27am Monday 28th April 2008
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